Waste Made Useful by Microbial Fuel Cells for Energy Generation

Abstract

The world is facing some of the greatest challenges in terms of environmental welfare and energy supply. The latest EU directives on energy appliances dictate lower power consumption even on standby operation. At the forefront of publicity, Hollywood is driving towards greener movie productions. The Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15) has failed to commit the largest fossil fuel consumer nations in limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Despite this there is still increased enthusiasm towards renewable energy production. This is clearly because fossil fuel combustion is costly and cutting back on carbon emissions is even more expensive; renewables on the other hand are freely available. A sustainable energy portfolio should include a range of carbon-neutral and renewable energy technologies. Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent vitally developing technology for sustainable energy production and waste treatment. They convert chemical energy of feedstock into electricity by using micro-organisms, which act as biocatalysts. MFCs are still in their early stages of development but with great potential to bring about innovation and become true alternatives to fossil fuel energy generation. The applicant has already demonstrated world first results (EcoBots and small scale-multi unit efficiency improvements) in this multi-disciplinary technological area, demonstrating that he is leading the way globally both in research and application of MFCs. Interest from the scientific and industrial communities is rapidly increasing, leading to collaborations with wastewater treatment industry and robotics. Investment both in this pioneering applicant and this burgeoning area is ripe. MFCs offer advantages such as simultaneous waste clean-up and electricity production; this Fellowship therefore directly addresses national and international priorities. Current research in the field is showing that individual units are thermodynamically limited, producing relatively low energy output levels, emphasising the need for scale-up. The applicant was the first to demonstrate (see attached Publications list Nos. 2, 5, 13) that more efficient energy harvesting takes place in small-scale MFC units and thus there is a natural drive for miniaturisation and multiple-unit stack development. More importantly, it is becoming apparent amongst the international MFC community that one of the technology's bottlenecks is the cathodic half-cell, which can be significantly improved using micro-algae. In the field of sustainable energy production , this proposal will integrate three major areas: (i) Multi-MFC unit stack; (ii) Self-sustainable cathodes; (iii) Waste clean-up.This Fellowship will both consolidate research findings and break into new areas, enabling cross-fertilisation of research results and thereby achieving developments faster than consecutive research projects would allow. It will develop the career of the applicant as a world leading researcher and budding academic, as well as developing the research skills of the research team he will build around him. This is built on the solid foundation of research to date. The Fellow will continue to collaborate with his mentors, ensuring his personal career development plan can be realised, maximising his potential as a research leader.The long term Vision of this Fellowship is twofold; 1) to develop MFCs into a mature sustainable energy technology with a direct application in everyday life that could change the way people think about energy and human waste; 2) to develop a team of researchers skilled in multi-disciplinary approaches led by the applicant who is already at the forefront of this research area globally.

Planned Impact

In order to ensure future impact of this work on beneficiaries the following mechanisms are in place: (i) the work will be carried out in close collaboration with Wessex Water an important private sector company with global reach, as part of the YTL Group of Companies; (ii) UWE is highly active in bridging the gap between academia and private sector by encouraging joint knowledge transfer projects and networking events. During the course of the project it is expected that further interactions with the private sector will be sought (e.g. water utility companies, sensor companies, producers of scientific devices, bathroom suites manufacturers etc.) and new technical developments will be pursued (with undergraduate project students, with additional future PhD projects, via collaboration, etc.); (iii) there is a strong training component and skills training to the PGRs in public engagement and media management (by UWE's Science Communication Unit seminars and training events) will be provided. PhD students will benefit from interaction with existing BRL members, members of UWE's Microbiology Research Lab as well as academics and researchers from the University of Bristol as a result of the BRL partnership. The existing collaboration between BRL and the Chemistry Department at the University of Bath will also be seen as a potential route for further exploitation/collaboration. The main developments of hypotheses in the proposed research would be of interest to various commercial enterprises, which may include industrial partners for mass producing small fuel cells in modular arrays for water treatment and/or energy production from organic substrates. Where discovery can be translated into new systems, BRL-UWE will exploit the opportunity via the Research Business and Innovation (RBI) Department, which will provide a platform for further dissemination of key results into the general public and reaching further potential beneficiaries in the private sector without additional costs to the project. UWE also has a press and marketing office for releasing and bringing to wider attention of key results and important publications. Potential beneficiaries (mainly industry, governmental research organisations) will be made aware in in-house meetings, seminars, and workshops. Further networks such as the Home Office, Carbon trust, GWR (Great Western Research), and (Supergen V) will provide highly effective routes of dissemination (e.g. via oral presentation at meetings) into a wider range of organisations. More importantly, a dedicated website will be established with updates on progress and with information about the project and its' background. This website will attract wider attention and it will be used to announce seminars and to disseminate results of high value to potential beneficiaries. The applicant as part of the existing BRL-UWE team has considerable experience with dissemination through the media (TV, press, radio and web-based articles; see Publications List). In addition, demonstration related material will be disseminated through the BRL YouTube account, in order to assist with maximising publicity and raising public awareness. This project is expected to achieve a high media profile. The cost of maintaining both live content web-sites has been included in the budget (see also Justification for Resources). In collaboration with the Science Communication Unit at UWE, with which the applicant has collaborated on EPSRC's Stage Award Walking with Robots , several demonstrations will be set-up in order to raise and maximise public awareness about the environmental benefits arising from renewable energy and demonstrating the concept of 'waste made useful' (see separate C-DIP). Exploitation will be in the first instance non-commercial through the open literature, in particular through publication in high impact journals.

MFC artistic display at Whitechapel Gallery as part of the "Is this Tomorrow?" exhibition

Description

A fog-screen displays images of life coming to an end, and further life generated from this very same process. MFCs are part of the exhibit next to the fog-screen demonstrating 'live bricks' i.e. MFCs made out of brick material inoculated with bacteria, to show the living concept of the message conveyed by the fog screen and also inspire discussion about households of the future. The MFC output can be used to power e-ink displays

Type Of Art

Artefact (including digital)

Year Produced

2019

Impact

Reviews have been written about the whole exhibition and two media in particular picked up on the MFCs specifically (Dezeen is one of these)

1. Urine has been proven to be an excellent fuel for direct electricity generation, which is the key finding currently being exploited for commercialisation.

2. Stacks of small of MFCs have been employed to power a number of practical applications, such as wristwatches, clocks, LEDs, micro-controllers, pumps, robots, motors. The technology is now at a stage of powering lights with external conditions (outdoor wider radius) capability.

3. The use of ceramics as both the ion exchange membrane and chassis for MFCs has revealed the capability of synthesising a liquid (called catholyte) which has got potent disinfectant properties, and is considered as a valuable output for remote sanitation-poor environments.

4. The cascade configuration of MFCs has demonstrated the killing of pathogenic microorganisms, which would be alien to the constituent electroactive biofilm responsible for electricity generation.

5. The production of catholyte, as an active filtrate through the ceramic membrane during the electricity generation process, has already been demonstrated as an potent disinfectant and efficacious bactericidal agent, with bacterial viable counts. This is being pursued further through new grants.

6. Electrode doping with activated carbon or graphene, for both the anode and cathode, is proving to be an excellent way of improving energy density and we now have individual small scale (3.6mL total volume) MFCs running actuators directly.

Exploitation Route

Direct implementation in wastewater treatment plants

Direct implementation in toilets

Direct implementation in developing countries

Sanitation improvements

Electricity generation in remote areas

Renewable power unit for standalone electronic devices A UK patent has been filed

The scientific findings from this research have been implemented in practical applications, not just for proof-of-concept purposes, but also for bringing the microbial fuel cell technology closer to market and the society (Pee Power urinals). The work from this Career Acceleration Fellowship has been the main reason for the further funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and also for the acceleration of the career. Since the last submission, the registered trademark Pee Power(R) system has come out of the laboratory, installed in environments where there is no electricity or sanitation infrastructure (the first example is Seseme Girls' Boarding School in Kisoro, Uganda) and through interaction with the users and stakeholders, social acceptability data have been generated that allow us for the *first time* to capture *real impact*. Having light at night, powered by human waste, in an environment where crime and animal predator attack have been commonplace in the past now provides a kind of safety net that puts off criminal behaviour against vulnerable individuals and improves the latter's quality of life. We are now very close to the commercialisation of our technology and are in the middle of discussions with the Gates Foundation about how this can be materialised with the best conditions for the new company to start.

Have helped significantly BioLoop Ltd to produce the successful proposal, whose funding is now being used to develop MFCs for dairy farm wastewater treatmen

Collaborator Contribution

BioLoop Ltd have opened the way to fruitful discussions with a large dairy farm (yoghurt producing), who are interested as an end user in testing MFCs for wastewater treatment.

Impact

None yet

Start Year

2017

Description

Collaboration with Dunster House

Organisation

Dunster House Ltd

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

The Bristol BioEnergy Centre's team has designed a urinal structure in conjunction with Dunster House to create the PeePower urinal, in use on campus at the University of the West of England (2015) and at Glastonbury Festival (2015).
Our team creates the project of the structure and builds the microbial fuel cell stacks and related electronics and plumbing to include within.
It is such a structure that our team is creating (end of 2015) to be sent to an area to be confirmed in either the African or South Asian continents.

Collaborator Contribution

Dunster House is a leading UK supplier of wooden garden buildings and offices, including log cabins, garden sheds and climbing frames.
D.H. also have experience creating different designs of quickly assemblable wooden toilet structures for use in impoverished or disaster-stricken areas.
Dunster Hse build the wooden structures to house the urinal and the microbial fuel cell stacks, to our team's specifications.

Impact

The ongoing outcome of this partnership is the construction of different models of the PeePower urinal, which transforms urine into electricity.
Disciplines involved:
Engineering
Bio-chemistry
Electro-chemistry
Microbiology
Materials science
Electronics

Start Year

2015

Description

Collaboration with Durban

Organisation

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Country

South Africa

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Our team provided two stacks of microbial fuel cells exhibited just before in India at the Reinvent The Toilet Fair (RTTF), sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These are being tested by the UKZN as a source of power derived from fresh urine, stored urine, faeces and different mixtures of these waste products.

Collaborator Contribution

Analytical work is being performed with our MFC stacks. Valuable information and knowledge is generated by the continuous operation of our MFC stacks fed under UKZN conditions

Impact

Not as yet

Start Year

2014

Description

Collaboration with Morgan Advanced Materials

Organisation

Morgan Advanced Materials

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

Discussions around the possibility of Morgan's materials being used in our microbial fuel cell research, which is an area of interest to the company, but not currently being pursued.

Collaborator Contribution

Morgan Advanced Materials have shown interest in our ceramic-based microbial fuel cells and have provided samples and expertise, which are proving quite useful. We have now placed an order for a good number of units to be purchased for the purposes of a field trial and if successful, we will be getting more.

Impact

None yet

Start Year

2017

Description

Collaboration with Oxentia for MFC commercialisation

Organisation

Oxentia

PI Contribution

Oxentia are the external company separately funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help us with our commercialisation

Collaborator Contribution

Oxentia have taken our MFC project and submitted it as a proposal to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has been successfully funded. Oxentia are now our external consultant who are working with us on our IP strategy and on commercializing our MFC technology (either via UWE spin-out or new start-up).

Impact

None yet

Start Year

2017

Description

Collaboration with Oxfam (2014)

Organisation

Oxfam GB

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Charity/Non Profit

PI Contribution

The Bristol BioEnergy Centre designed and built a stack of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), incorporated into a urinal structure funded by Oxfam.
This structure was placed as a field trial in the centre of the campus at the University of the West of England, Bristol and used by the students to demonstrate the possibility of energy harvesting from urine.

Collaborator Contribution

Oxfam in conjunction with Dunster House, has built an outside structure containing a urinal which will be connected to our stack of MFCs and is financing the activity with a cash payment of £10k.

Impact

n/a yet

Start Year

2014

Description

Collaboration with Oxfam (2016)

Organisation

Oxfam GB

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Charity/Non Profit

PI Contribution

building a stack for a field trial in a refugee camp on the African continent (exact location to be confirmed)

Collaborator Contribution

Oxfam will find a suitable location, help with logistics; while Dunster House Ltd will build the urinal structure (financed by the Gates Foundation).

Impact

The outcome of this collaboration will be a urinal structure, to be tested as a field trial in a refugee camp; country to be confirmed by Oxfam.

Start Year

2016

Description

Collaboration with Oxford Product Design

Organisation

Oxford Product Design

PI Contribution

Have had discussions about how our MFCs could benefit from the design expertise of OPD

Collaborator Contribution

OPD will be producing an "alpha" prototype of an improved design of our MFCs, which may become our first pre-commercial product

The Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) stack has been designed to power a real application - floater-boat device. This is to demonstrate that via MFCs, the electricity harvesting can be performed directly from wastewater in working wastewater treatment plant. It has been assembled and launched in wastewater treatment plant in Nosedo, Milan between 23-27 September.

The Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) stack has been designed to power a real application - floater-boat device. This is to demonstrate that via MFCs, the electricity harvesting can be performed directly from wastewater in working wastewater treatment plant. It has been assembled and launched in wastewater treatment plant in Nosedo, Milan between 23-27 September.

ROCA have been encouraged by the Gates Foundation to begin a collaboration with us in terms of raw materials and integration of MFCs in their waterless and water-based urinals.

Collaborator Contribution

Roca have supplied our team with a number of ceramic samples to test their efficiency in microbial fuel cells, as well as with a ceramic off-the-shelf urinal, which was used for the "Re-Invent the Toilet Fair: India" organised by the Gates Foundation in March 2014, and which took place in New Delhi.
We have received approximately 1200 fine fire clay cylinders (FFC) from ROCA of which 640 are in the stack which we hope to send to Udaipur for a field trial.

Impact

n/a/ as of yet

Start Year

2014

Description

Collaboration with University of Cartagena, ES

Organisation

Technical University of Cartagena

Country

Spain

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Knowledge and personnel exchange - two students from University of Cartagena, ES have visited us to do research supporting their PhD theses.

Collaborator Contribution

The two students have made contributions to our research on Microbial Fuel Cells

Impact

Ongoing.
The two students have made contributions to the Bristol BioEnergy Centre's research into Microbial Fuel Cells.

Start Year

2015

Description

Collaboration with University of Duisburg-Essen

Organisation

University Duisburg-Essen

Country

Germany

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

The Bristol BioEnergy Centre has hosted four Water Science Bachelor students from Universität Duisburg-Essen so far, with a fifth currently applying to join us on a temporary basis in 2016.

Collaborator Contribution

Exchange of students, knowledge, expertise.

Impact

Contributions to the Bachelor's degrees of the students involved.

Start Year

2009

Description

Collaboration with University of Freiburg

Organisation

Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg

Country

Germany

Sector

Hospitals

PI Contribution

Knowledge exchange and agreement on joint experimental work, exploiting the expertise of both parties.

Collaborator Contribution

Knowledge exchange and agreement on joint experimental work, exploiting the expertise of both parties. The senior colleague from the University of Freiburg will come to the Bristol BioEnergy Centre as part of a sabbatical in the second half of 2015.

Impact

Ongoing - not as yet

Start Year

2013

Description

Collaboration with University of New Mexico

Organisation

University of New Mexico

Country

United States

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Knowledge and material exchange - microbial fuel cells have been sent to the partner for electrode modification and surface functionalisation. Knowledge and data from joint experiments have already contributed to a number of joint scientific publications.

Collaborator Contribution

Material transfer - the partner has provided state-of-the-art material (modified electrodes) which have been used in our experiments and have shown significant improvements. These data have resulted in a number of publications, as well as in leveraging further funding from the Electrochemical Society and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as part of the recent Electrochemical Energy Summit (Cancun, October 2014).

We use waste water sludge provided by Wessex Water in MFC experiments.
A project is planned which will have MFCs installed in Saltford, to evaluate sensing and treatment capability at 4 different stages of the treatment process.

Collaborator Contribution

Wessex Water is the regional water and sewage treatment business serving an area of the south west of England.
Wessex Water provide their blackwater at their domestic Saltford site.

Impact

ongoing successful collaboration

Description

Collaboration with Whiffaway, manufacturers of waterless urinals

Organisation

Whiffaway

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Private

PI Contribution

Whiffaway, a McAlpine subsidiary, have contacted us in order to jointly pursue a commercialisation activity with a focus on urinals as a product incorporating new MFC technology.

Collaborator Contribution

Market information, material exchange, contacts and contribution to Innovate-UK proposals.
BBiC is to install a 100 module MFC stack at Heathrow Airport fed by a WhiffAway managed waterless urinal.
The trial will last for 6 months and will collect data on stack power generation and treatment capability. A public facing display will be powered from the MFC system to show the MFC stack, its operation, power generated and the urine treatment achieved. A PR event will be scheduled once the trial is up and running in 2017. This 10x scale-up trial is also driving design for manufacture and supply chain development to inform the spin-out business plan and financial models.

Impact

This activity is ongoing.

Start Year

2014

Description

Collaboration with the STeP programme of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Organisation

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Country

United States

Sector

Charity/Non Profit

PI Contribution

The Bristol BioEnergy Centre is preparing to launch into the commercialisation phase of the Urinetricity project. The STeP initiative will be instrumental in making this happen.

Collaborator Contribution

Sanitation Technology Platform (STeP) is a Gates Foundation initiative being implemented by RTI International. STeP is a process to identify what help and support can be given to a research centre to help take us from a grantee to a fully-fledged entity with commercialisation, prototypes and eventually an own company thereby not needing further support from the Gates Foundation. Only a select few GF grantees were chosen to apply for STeP.

Impact

No outcomes yet, this collaboration is beginning at the time of this report (early 2016)

Start Year

2015

Description

EVOBLISS partners

Organisation

IT University of Copenhagen

Country

Denmark

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

This is joint EU research project, which has been awarded as part of the FrameWork Programme 7, and which largely incorporates work from the Career Acceleration Fellowship (EP/I004653/1). To date, we have exchanged material (in addition to knowledge) with KIT and Trento.

Collaborator Contribution

Each partner brings their own expertise to the consortium, and the synergy in artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, materials and Microbial Fuel Cells, is utilised for the purpose of understanding microbial development and evolution.

Impact

This is still ongoing with the first material deliverables due in February 2015.

Start Year

2014

Description

EVOBLISS partners

Organisation

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Country

Germany

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

This is joint EU research project, which has been awarded as part of the FrameWork Programme 7, and which largely incorporates work from the Career Acceleration Fellowship (EP/I004653/1). To date, we have exchanged material (in addition to knowledge) with KIT and Trento.

Collaborator Contribution

Each partner brings their own expertise to the consortium, and the synergy in artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, materials and Microbial Fuel Cells, is utilised for the purpose of understanding microbial development and evolution.

Impact

This is still ongoing with the first material deliverables due in February 2015.

Start Year

2014

Description

EVOBLISS partners

Organisation

University of Glasgow

Country

United Kingdom

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

This is joint EU research project, which has been awarded as part of the FrameWork Programme 7, and which largely incorporates work from the Career Acceleration Fellowship (EP/I004653/1). To date, we have exchanged material (in addition to knowledge) with KIT and Trento.

Collaborator Contribution

Each partner brings their own expertise to the consortium, and the synergy in artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, materials and Microbial Fuel Cells, is utilised for the purpose of understanding microbial development and evolution.

Impact

This is still ongoing with the first material deliverables due in February 2015.

Start Year

2014

Description

EVOBLISS partners

Organisation

University of Trento

Country

Italy

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

This is joint EU research project, which has been awarded as part of the FrameWork Programme 7, and which largely incorporates work from the Career Acceleration Fellowship (EP/I004653/1). To date, we have exchanged material (in addition to knowledge) with KIT and Trento.

Collaborator Contribution

Each partner brings their own expertise to the consortium, and the synergy in artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, materials and Microbial Fuel Cells, is utilised for the purpose of understanding microbial development and evolution.

Impact

This is still ongoing with the first material deliverables due in February 2015.

Start Year

2014

Description

MFCs in CalTech's Re-invented toilet

Organisation

California Institute of Technology

Country

United States

Sector

Academic/University

PI Contribution

Collaborative work to introduce our Microbial Fuel Cells in CalTech's Re-invented Toilet, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prof. Mike Hoffmann's Team have received funding from the Gates Foundation under the "Re-invent the Toilet" competition to develop a radically different toilet. The collaboration has introduced our MFCs into this re-invented toilet system, and has been running in California since May 2014.

Collaborator Contribution

Caltech has financed this activity by paying £12k in cash for the MFC stack development, shipping, travel, accommodation, as well as access to their reinvented toilet product. Data and knowledge are exchanged on a regular basis.

Impact

Not as yet

Start Year

2013

Title

Methods providing MFCs with improved power output and methods for measuring or controlling circuits

Description

The present invention relates to microbial fuel cells (MFCs), to methods of operation of MFCs and to methods for measuring, controlling or modulating MFC circuits. In particular, the invention relates to providing MFCs with improved power output and methods for measuring MFC or controlling circuits.

IP Reference

GB1501570.4

Protection

Patent application published

Year Protection Granted

2015

Licensed

No

Impact

No impact as of yet.

Title

Microbial Fuel Cell Stacks - Apparatus

Description

This is the patent filed on Microbial Fuel Cells, the arrangements of and stacking of Microbial Fuel Cells and methods of operation.

IP Reference

WO2012120314

Protection

Patent application published

Year Protection Granted

Licensed

No

Impact

A commercialisation activity has been ongoing since the filing of this patent, and the University has invested in the development of a business plan for the exploitation of this IP. This is ongoing.

Description

IP Reference

Protection

Trade Mark

Year Protection Granted

Licensed

No

Impact

Pee Power trademark

Description

"Living Bricks" could turn sunlight and waste water into energy-generating bioreactor walls (Inhabitat.com)

Article in German online magazine, on obtaining electricity from human waste.

Last paragraph of artcle mentions 'Researchers from the UK have also found that bacteria in the urine release energy. With their help, they want to convert organic mass into electricity and offset global bottlenecks in the power supply. Urea, chlorides and potassium are ideal energy suppliers for fuel cells.'

Article BBC.com about our work on obtaining electricity from human waste and our urinal at Glastonbury Fest. 2016.Following the publication of this article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

2010.11.03 - Wallace and Gromit's World of Inventions (educational DVD): Nature knows best

Form Of Engagement Activity

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

National

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention was a BBC One science show featuring the animated claymation characters Wallace and Gromit, made by Aardman. Our work on obtaining electricity from dead insects was featured in Episode 2 - Nature Knows Best, Insect-powered machines.Original air date: 03/11/2010

Following the airing of this interview, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Article in the Bristol Evening Post about our work on obtaining electricity from human waste.09/11/2011Circulation: 41.5k daily (ABC)

Following the publication of this feature article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2011

Description

Bristol Grammar School

Form Of Engagement Activity

Participation in an activity, workshop or similar

Part Of Official Scheme?

Yes

Geographic Reach

Regional

Primary Audience

Schools

Results and Impact

Attending the Junior Renishaw competition at the Bristol Grammar School as the University representative, inspired the pupils and teachers, not only in sharing their work and ideas, but also in expressing an interest to formally visit the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

The Bristol Grammar School Science & Maths group (31 pupils) visited the Bristol Robotics Laboratory as a direct result of the Junior Renishaw competition attendance, where they were shown the cutting edge research.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2013

Description

Bristol Post (print): Need some charge? You're in for a treat

Form Of Engagement Activity

A magazine, newsletter or online publication

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

Regional

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Article in The Bristol Post about our work on charging a phone with urine.17/07/2013Circulation: 32k daily (ABC)

Following the publication of this feature article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2013

Description

CBBC: Operation Ouch! Series 2, Episode 2

Form Of Engagement Activity

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

National

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

The work of our Centre (at the time our theme within the BRL) was featured in a CBBC (Children's BBC) TV programme: Operation Ouch, Series 2, Episode 2. (21:00 - 24:20 minutes)http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/cbbc/episode/b03c8zzh/sign/operation-ouch-series-2-episode-2

Following the publication of this article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2014

Description

Christ Church Primary School, Cheltenham, KS1 and KS2 School visit and presentation

Form Of Engagement Activity

A talk or presentation

Part Of Official Scheme?

Yes

Geographic Reach

Local

Primary Audience

Schools

Results and Impact

The talk definitely sparked questions from the pupils, especially those in KS2, who were intrigued and fascinated by the live demonstraiton of the microbial fuel cell robots that run on electricity generated from waste.

The school visits are continuing and we have just submitted a proposal to the Royal Society for making microbial fuel cells part of the science curriculum; initially with one school, and subsequently (funding dependent) rolled out to other schools.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2012

Description

Courier Mail (print, Australia): Urine powers phones

Form Of Engagement Activity

A magazine, newsletter or online publication

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

National

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Article in the Courier Mail about our work on charging a phone with urine.18/07/2013Readership: 3,2 million (Ipsos MediaCT)

Following the publication of this article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2013

Description

Cover story for The Engineer Magazine

Form Of Engagement Activity

A magazine, newsletter or online publication

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Cover story written on the MFC/EcoBot work featured in the October 2011 issue of The Engineer magazine.

This was a high profile exposure for one of the University of the West of England, Bristol's artefacts, since it got a place in the city's history. Media exposure during the M-Shed opening was high, and the impact on the general public, visiting the museum on a daily basis is perpetual.

Following the publication of this feature article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2013

Description

New Scientist (print): Bug-catching robots power themselves

Form Of Engagement Activity

A magazine, newsletter or online publication

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Article in the New Scientist about our work on creating a fly-digesting robot.22/10/2011

Following the publication of this article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2011

Description

PEE POWER® to light up more sites after Africa school trial success

Form Of Engagement Activity

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE press release describing success of first overseas microbial fuel cell Pee Power system at a boarding school in Uganda and announcing intention for another field trial installation in Nairobi, Kenya. Helped increase awareness and interest in the potential for the technology to help people in developing countries who have limited access to good sanitation and electricity supply.

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE press release to highlight that Pee Power was named as one of the UK's 100 best breakthroughs by Universities UK (UUK) for its significant impact on people's lives. This helped create awareness and interest in the technology leading to more enquiries about the technology, as well as showing that the Bristol BioEnergy Centre is nationally recognised as a leader in technology development for social good.

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE Press Office generated a press release with video about the the largest Pee Power system to date being given a prime location at Glastonbury 2017. It included an embedded YouTube video showcasing the technology and project, and a description of the location and purpose of the installation at Glastonbury. It was released online and communicated through the various media networks of the Press Office prior to the event. This generated extensive further interest from other media outlets and many other news stories appeared online, on television, radio and in newspapers before and after the event. It also attracted people to view and use the system in person during the festival.

Technology that turns urine into electricity commercialised through spin out company

Form Of Engagement Activity

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE press release with embedded video of footage from African microbial fuel cell Pee Power field trial sites, as well as link to an animation explaining how the technology works. Press release announces formation of UWE spin-out company Robial that is an important step in product commercialisation of technology, and UWE presence at a Gates Foundation showcase event in China to exhibit the sanitation technologies being supported by their funding, including Pee Power. Helped create awareness and interest in the technology at an important stage in its development which, in combination with the China event, helped generate enquiries from potential investors, manufacturers and buyers.

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE Press Office generated a press release about the project activities and significant scientific breakthrough in terms of pathogen killing, showcasing and providing a link to the recent related publication in a high impact peer-reviewed journal. It was released online and communicated through the various media networks of the Press Office, generating interest from other media outlets.

Article in The Engineer about our work on obtaining electricity from waste products.17/10/2011

Following the publication of this feature article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

Year(s) Of Engagement Activity

2011

Description

The Hindu (India): Not just toilet, a tech wonder

Form Of Engagement Activity

A magazine, newsletter or online publication

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

National

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

Article in The Hindu reporting on the presentation of our work at the Reinvent The Toilet Fair (RTTF 2014), Delhi, India, organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.23/03/2014Readership: 2'258'000/issue (IRS)

Following the publication of this article, there was further media interest raised, which led to continuous public exposure of the work.

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE Press Office generated a press release about a 5 year agreement made with Glastonbury Festival to support its sustainability aims, including through the presence of Pee Power urinals at the festival. It included a photo of the agreement being made between the project PI Ioannis Ieropoulos, UWE Vice Chancellor Steve West and Glastonbury Director Michael Eavis. It also provided a description of the Pee Power technology and hyperlinks to further information. It was released online and communicated through the various media networks of the Press Office prior to the 2017 Glastonbury Festival. In combination with a later press release on the location of the Pee Power urinal at Glastonbury, it helped create extensive further interest from other media outlets and many other news stories appeared online, on television, radio and in newspapers before and after the 2017 event. It also helped attract people to view and use the system in person during the festival.

A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview

Part Of Official Scheme?

No

Geographic Reach

International

Primary Audience

Media (as a channel to the public)

Results and Impact

UWE Press Office generated a press release about the success of the Pee Power field trial in Uganda, including photos and description of the project activities. It was released online and communicated through the various media networks of the Press Office and generated further interest from other media outlets.